Rotary sweeper.



E. M. MULLER.

ROTARY SWEEPER.

APPLICATION IILBD NOV.18, 1914.

Patented Man30, 1915.

3 SEEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES: I INVENTORK EH {m VETD.

Mull er,

E. M. MULLER. ROTARY SWEEPER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.1B,191&

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEYS I I hm HIM E. M. MULLER.

ROTARY SWEEPER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.18, 1914.

1,133,353. Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

EEEgiZE V/I/IIIIIII ATTORNEYS I citizen of the United States, residingat rarrnn STATES Parr enric EDVARD M. MOLLER, OF JERSEY CITY, NEWJERSEY.

RoTARv SWEEPER.

To all whom-it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDVARD M. MOLLER, a

Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Sweepers; and Ido hereby declare the following'to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawlngs, and to characters of reference markedthereon, which forma part of this specification. This invention hasreference, generally, to improvements. in street-sweepers; and, thepresent invention relates, more particularly to sweepers of that classemployed upon street-"railways, with a vlew of providing a motordrivensweeper-brush or brushes, operating independently of the motor-drivencar-truck or trucks of the car or other suitable body with which thesweeper is employed, Y

The invention, therefore, has for its principal object to provide anovel and simply constructed rotary street-sweeping mechanism of thegeneral character hereinafter more particularly set forth, the means forraising and lowering the rotary brush or brushes being such, that thelifting or lowering actions take place in unison at all points ofpivotal support, soas to remove all strains from the several journalsand 'prevent distorany undue torsional strain tion of the shaft uponwhich the brush or brushes are mounted, and also to prevent of thevarious parts of the mechanism.

Other objects of the present invention not :at this time moreparticularly enumerated will be clearly understood from the follow-'.

ing detailed description of the invention.

With the various objects of the invention.

in view, the invention consists, primarily, in

' the novel sweeper for street-railways hereinafter set forth; and, theinvention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrangements andcombinations of the various devices and parts, as well as in the detailsof the construction of the said parts, all of which will be more fullydescribed in the following specification, and then finally embodied inthe clauses of the claim which are appended to and which form anessential part of the said specification.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented MU 3@ 19151 Application filedNovember 18, 1914.

Serial No. 872,691.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a motor-driven car, and amotor driven sweeper-mechanism, showing one embodiment of the principlesof the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the main portions of thecar-body and a perspective view of the motor-driven sweeper-mechanism,looking in the direction of the arrow m in said Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is adetail vertical sectional representation taken on line 3'3 in said Fig.1, looking in the direction of the arrow 3 said view being made on anenlarged scale. I

Similarcharacters of reference are employed in the said above describedviews, to indicate corresponding parts. 1

Referring now to the several figures of the drawings, thereference-characters 1 and Qindicate the-usual longitudinally extendingside-members of a suitable car-bod'y, to the lower surfaces of which aresuitably secured suitable blocks, as 3 and 4, with which are connectedin any usual manner the members 5 of the truck-bodies carrying thejourin alinement with relation toeach other, but

both lying in the same vertical plane, axially with the'said bearings,and the said vertical plane being at acute angles to the vertical planesof the two longitudinally extending blocks 3 and 4, and the side-members1 and 2, as will be clearly evident, more particularly, from aninspection of, Fig. l of the drawings. Rotatably mounted in the bearing10 is a journal-pin l3, and similarly mounted in the bearing 12 is ajournal-pin 14, the purposes ofwhich will be presently more fullydescribed. Mounted upon a portion of one of said journal-pins, as 13, isthe hub 16 of a forwardly extending link 15,

i said link being made at its forward end with a bracket-like receivingportion, as 17 with which'is'suitably connected a j ournal-box 18.Mounted upon the journal-pin 14 is the hub 20 of a forwardly extendinglink 19, said link 19 being also made at its forward end with abracket-like receiving portion, as 21,

with which is suitably connected a j ournalbox 22. Rotatably'mounted insaidjournalboxes 18 and 22 is a shaft .23 upon which is suitably secureda sweeper. In'the present instance, this sweeper consists of two rotarybrushes 24 and 25, suitably mounted upon the shaft 23 with-a space 26'between the 7 said brushes. It will be understood, however, that I donot intend to limit myself to 15 this arrangement of brushes, and thatany other suitable sweeper-construction may be placed between thejournal-boxes 18 and 22. Also suitably secured to the longitudinallyextending side-member 1 of the car-body is a bearing-plate 27formed,with abearing 28,

and similarly secured to the other side-member 2 is a bearing-plate 29,also formed with a bearing 30, the said bearings 28 and 30 being in,alinement with relation to each other, but both lying in the samevertical plane, axiall with the said bearings, and

/ the said vertical lane being at acute angles to the vertical p anes ofthe two longitudinally extending side-members 1 and 2. Rotatably mountedin the bearing-28 is a shaft 31. Suitably mounted upon one end-portionof the said shaft 31,- so as to oscillate with said shaft, is the hub 33of a crank-arm 34, to the free end-portion of which is pivotally "35attached, as-at 35,- an adjustable link 36.

The lower end-portion of said link 36 is pivotally attached, as at 37,to a web-like member, as 39 of a bracket 38, which bracket 38 issuitably secured to the previously-mentioned bracket-like portion 17 ofthe link 15.

Suitably mounted upon the other end-fpo'rtion of the shaft 31,.so as tooscillate with the said shaft,is the hub 40 of acrank-arm 41, to thefree end-portion of which is piv ota1ly attached, as at 42, anadjustable link 43. The lower end-portion of said link 43 is pivotallyattached, as at 44, to a web-like .member, as46, of a bracket 45, whichvbracket 45 is-suitably secured to the previously-mentioned bracket-likeportion 21 of the link 19' Y Oscillatory motion of the shaft'31, and

consequent lifting and lowering movement of the shaft 23 and the brushesmounted thereon, is produced by means ofa crank arm 47, suitably fixedupon theshaft 31, f

said crank-arm 47 having pivotally connected therewith, as at. 48, alink 49 which extends upwardly'through and above the platform of thecar-body. Pivotally connected with the upper end-portion of said link49, by means of a pin 50, is a lifting and loweringlever 51, said leverbeing suitably fulcrumed, as at 52, and engaging with the 55 usualretaining sector, as 53,. as will be 'for operating the car.

:mdto'nshaft 56is rotatably mounted.

-viously-mentioned shaft 31. Thus, it will clearly understood from aninspection of Fig. 2 of the drawings. Upon said lever 51 may beadjustably arranged a balanceweight 54. v

l-laving in the foregoing described one means of perfectly balancing thesweepermechanism, anda means for easily lifting and lowering the saidmechanism, and ,the rotary brushes thereof, without straining either ofthe journals or the journal-boxes, Twill describe the means forrevolving the brushes by means of an electric motor, in-' dependent ofthe motor or motors employed The motor, which is of any usual andwell-known form, is so suitably disposed in a dust and dirt-proofcasing, as 55, suitably mounted upon its motor-driven shaft 56, and heldin a fixed relation upon said shaft, by a suitable fastening device, as57, which is connected with 35 said casing 55 and is secured to'across-bar 58, secured to' and extending at acute angles j of thedrawings,and secured at its respective c-nd-portions,to the saidcross-bar 58-and the side member 1,is a'supporting bar or beam 59, andsuitably secured to the side-member ,2 and the end-member 60 of thecar-body,

substantially as shown in said Fig. 1, is another supporting-bar orbeam61, saidbars or beams being provided with suitably constructedanddownwardly extending bearinszs 62 and 63 in which the above-mentigned kuitably secured upon said shaft 56, between the bearing 63 andthe outerportion 64 of the motor-casing 55 is a sprocket-wheel 65, I over whichpassesa link-chain 66, said link chain passing also over a sprocketwheel 67 which, issecured in, a fixed position upon the brush orbroomcarrying shaft 23, as

will be readily understood from an inspection of Fig. 3' of thedrawings, and from which figure the operation of this mechanism will beclearly evident, In order'to protect these parts from dirt and dust, aswell as from stones and pieces of ice, br other foreign matter, the saidsprocket-Wheels and chain are inclosed in a suitably-constructed shellorcasing, as 68, from the opposite sides of which project laterallyextending pins or pivot-studs 69. Pivotally connected with the said pinsor studs. are apair of suitably shaped links, as 70, which are pivotallyconheated .at their upper end-portions by means of a pin 71, with acrankr-arm or lever 72, fixed by means of its hub 73 upon the prebeclearly seen, that while the said shaft 23 f isrotatably mounted in thejournal-boxes 18 and 22, and is adapted to be suitably raised andlowered by the action of the links 15 and 19, the said shaft 23 is alssuitably 1 greases supported ,at its middle, in the space 26 formedbetween the rotary brushes or brooms 24 and 25, so thatthereby anysagging condition of the said shaft 23 at its middle is clearly avoided.

Having in the foregoing described the general arrangement andconstruction of the several devices and parts, the operations of thesaid devices and parts will be clearly obvious from an inspection of theseveral figures of the drawings, and need not, there fore, be more,particularly described. Y

Of course I am aware that some changes may be made in the generalarrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts, as wellas in the details of the construction ofthe said parts, withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention as set forth in theforegoing specification and as defined in the clauses of the claim whichare appended thereto. Hence,I do not limit my present invention to theexact arrangements and combinations of. the devices and parts asdescribed in the said specification, nor do I confine myself to theexact details of the construction of the said parts, as illustrated inthe accompanying drawings,

I claim 1. In combination with the longitudinally extending side-membersof a car-body, bearing-plates carried by said side-members,bearing-portions connected with said bearing-plates, saidbearing-portions extending at acute angles from the vertical faces ofsaid side-members,journal-pins mounted in said bearing-portions, aforwardly extending link mounted at one end-portion upon eachjournal-pin, a journal-box connected with the other end-portion of eachlink, a shaft mounted in said journal-boxes, rotary brushes mounted uponsaid shaft, and means connected with the said links for lifting andlowering the said shaft and the brushes mounted upon saidshaft,consisting of other bearing-plates carried by said side-members,bearing-portions connected with said lastmentioned bearing-plates, saidbearingplates also extending at acute angles from the vertical .faces ofsaid side-members, a shaft mounted in said last-mentionedbearing-portions, crank-arms extending in forward directions from saidlast-mentioned shaft, links between said crank-arms and thepreviously-mentioned links and journalboxes, and 'means connected withsaid lastmcntioned shaft for producing oscillatory motion of said shaft.4

2. In combination with the longitudinally extending side-members of acar-body, bear ing-plates carried by said side-members, bearing-portionsconnected with said bearing-plates, said bearing-portions extending atacute angles from the vertical faces of said side-members, journal-pinsmounted in said bearing-portions, a forwardly extending link mounted atone end-portion upon each journaLpin, member at the other end of eachlink, a journal-box mounted upon each bracket-like receiving member, ashaft mounted in said j ournal-boxes; rotary brushes mounted upon saidshaft, and means connected with said bracket-like members for liftingand lowering the said shaft and the brushes mounted upon said shaft.

3. In combination with the longitudinally extending side-members of acar-body, bearing-plates carried by said side-members,

bearing-portions connected with said bear ing-plates, saidbearing-portions extending at acute angles from the vertical faces ofsaid side-members, journal-pins mounted in also extendingat acute anglesfrom the vertical faces of said side-members, a shaftmounted in saidlast-mentioned bearing-portions, crank-arms extending in forwarddirections from said last-mentioned shaft, brackets connected with thefirst-mentioned bracket-like receiving members, said brackets beingprovided with web-like portions, links between said crank-arms and thesaid web- 'like portions, and means connected with said last-mentionedshaft for producing oscillatory motion of said shaft.

4. In combination with the longitudinally extending side-members of acar-body, bearing-members carried by said side-members, saidbearing-members extending at acute a bracket-like receiving rotarybrushes mounted upon angles from the vertical faces of said sidemembers,links pivotally connected at one end-portion with said bearing-members,a shaft rotatably connected with the other endportions of said links, abrush mounted upon said shaft, a motor-shaft mounted in bearings securedto the frame-work of said carbody, said motor-shaft being axially inaline' 'ment with said bearing-members, a motor connected with saidmotor-shaft, a drlvmg mechanism between the said motor-shaft and theshaft upon which the brush is mounted,- and means connected with saidlinks for lifting and lowering the said last-mentioned shaft and thebrush mounted uponsaid shaft, consisting of other bearing-plates carriedby said side-members, bearing-portions connected with saidlast-mentioned bearing-plates,

said bearing-plates also extending at acute angles from the vertical"faces of said side- 7 members, a shaft mounted in said last-mentionedbearing-portions, crank-arms extending in forward directions from saidlastmentioned shaft, links between said crankarms and thepreviously-mentioned links and journal-boxes, and means connected withsaid last-mentioned shaft for producing os- 1 cillatory motion of saidshaft.

5. In combination with the longitudinally extending side-members of acar-body, bearing-mem'ber's carried by said side-members,

said bearing-members extending at acute angles from the vertical facesof said sidemembers, links pivotally connected at one end-portion withsaid bearing-members, va shaft rotatably connected with the otherendportions of said links, a brush mountedupon said shaft, a motor-shaftmounted in bearings secured to the frame-work of said carbody, saidmotor-shaft being axially in alinement with said bearing-members, amotor connected, with said motor-shaft, a driving mechanism between thesaid motor-shaft and the shaft upon which the brush ismounted,

a casing inclosing said driving mechanism, ,and means connected withsaid links for lifting and lowering the said last-mentioned Mshaftandthe brush mounted upon said .6. In combination with the longitudinally iat extending side-members of a car-body, bearing-plates carried by saidside-members, bearing-portions connected with said bear- .ing-plates,said bearing-portions extending. at acute angles from the vertical facesof 8G said side-members, j ournal-pins mounted in said bearing-portions,a forwardly'extending link mounted atone end-portion upon eachjournal-pin, a bracket-like receiving- ;-member at the other end of eachlink, a journal-box mounted upon each bracket-like 1 receiving member,-ashaft mounted in said journal-boxes, rotary brushes mounted upon 'jsaidshaft, a motor-shaft mounted in bearings secured to the framework ofsaiflcan' body, said motor-shaft being axially in aline- I mentwithsaidjournal-pins, a motor connected with said motor-shaft, a drivingmechanism between the said motor-shaft and the shaft upon which. saidbrushes are mounted, and means connected. with said icense bracket-like,members for lifting and lowering the said last-mentioned shaftand thebrushes, mounted upon said shaft. 2

7. In combination with the longitudinally extending side-members of acar-body, bearing-plates carried by said side-members, bearing-portionsconnected with said bearing-plates, saidbearing-portions extending atacute angles from the vertical faces of' said side-members, journal-pinsmounted in said bearing-portions, a forwardly extending link mountedatone end-portion upon eachournal-pin, a bracket-like receiving memberat the vother end of each link, a journal-box mounted upon eachbracket-like receiving member, a shaft mounted in said journal-boxes,rotary brushes mounted upon said shaftfa motor-shaft mounted in bearingssecured to the frame-work of said car:

body, said motor-shaft being axially in alinementwith said journal-pins,a motor connected with said motor-shaft, a driving mechanism; between 1the said motor-shaft and the shaft upon which said brushes are mounted,and means connected with said bracketlike members for lifting andlowering thesaid last-mentioned shaft and the brushes mounted upon saidshaft, consisting of other bearing-plates carried by said sidemembers,bearing-portions connected with,

said last-mentioned bearing-plates, said bearing-plates also extendingat acute angles from the vertical faces of said side-members, a shaftmounted in said last-mentioned bearing-portions, crank-arms extending inforward directions from said last-mentioned shaft, brackets connectedwith the first-mentioned bracket-like receiving members, said bracketsbeing provided with web-like por-' tions, links between said crank-armsand the said web-llke portions, and means connected with saidlast-mentioned shaft for pro'ducing oscillatory motion of said shaft.

8. In combination with the longitudinally extending side -members of acar body, bearing-plates carried by said side-members,

bearing-portions connected with said bearing-plates, saidbearingportions extending at acute angles from the vertical faces ofsaid side-members, journal-pins mounted in said bearing-portions, aforwardly extend: inglink mounted at one end-portion upon eachjournaLpin, a bracket-like receivingmember at the other end ofeach link,a journal-box mounted upon each bracket-like re-.

ceiving member, a shaft mounted in said j ournal-boxes, rotary brushesmounted upon said shaft,v a motor-shaft mounted in bean, ings secured tothe frame-work of said carbody, said motor-shaft being axially inalinement with said journal-pins, a motor connected with saidmotor-shaft,v a driving mechanismbetween a the said 'motor-shaft and theshaft upon which said brushes are mounted, a casing inclosing; said.drivingmemes mechanism, and means connected with said bracket-likemember for lifting and lower ing the said last-mentioned shaft and thebrushes mounted upon said shaft.

.9. In combination with the longitudinally extending side-members of acar-body, bearing-plates carried by said side-members, bearing-portionsconnected with said bearing-plates, said bearing-portions extending atacute angles from the vertical faces of said side-members, journal-pinsmounted in said bearing-portions, a forwardly extending link mounted atone end-portion upon each journal-pin, a bracket-like receivingmember atthe other end of each link, a journal-box mounted upon each bracket-likereceiving member, a shaft mounted in said journal-boxes, rotary brushesmounted upon said shaft, a motor-shaft mounted in bearings secured tothe frame-work of said car-body, said motor-shaft being axially inalinement with said journal-pins, a motor connected with 'saidmotor-shaft, a driving mechanism between the said motor-shaft and theshaft upon which said brushes are mounted, a casing inclosing saiddriving mechanism,

and means connected with said bracket-like members for lifting andlowering the said last-mentioned shaft and the brushes mounted upon saidshaft, consisting of other bearing-plates carried by the saidside-members, bearing-portions connected with said lastmentionedbearing-plates, said bearingplates also extending at acute angles fromthe vertical faces of said side-members, a shaft mounted in saidlast-mentioned bearing-portions, crank-arms extending in forwarddirections from said last-mentioned shaft, brackets connected with thefirst-mentioned bracket-like receiving members, said brackets beingprovided with web-like portions, links between said crank-arms and thesaid web-like portions, means connected with said last-mentioned shaftfor producing oscillatory motion of said shaft, a casing inclosing saiddriving mechanism, another crank-arm connected with and extending fromsaid last-mentioned shaft, and links nivotally connected at one end tosaid lastmentioned crank-arm and at their other ends said links beingpivotally connected with said driving mechanism-inclosing casing.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above it havehereunto set my hand this 19th day of October, 1914:.

"EDVARD M. MULLE

